Those of you that regularly check out my blog (or have just scanned through the archives) probably can pick up on the theme that I don't post as regularly as I have been this week. I think the major reason for my influx of posts is Google Reader.

I try to keep up with two things every day: the news and music. Before I used a desktop based RSS reader, and I was always falling behind, and always beholden to being at that particular computer. With Google Reader I can keep up from anywhere in the world.

Then Google Reader added this function of sharing articles or posts so that other people with Google accounts could see what you wanted to share. Then about a week ago Google made it possible to add notes to what you share, thereby allowing your comments on the piece to be seen by everyone. Right now it is more micro-blogging than these long-winded posts here, but it still helps show why I'm sharing a particular article or a particular song.

And just to show that they're the best in the world at everything, Google also automatically creates a web page that you can link people to. So here is my Google Reader page so you know what I'm reading and what I find interesting and insightful. Call it a backup plan in case I start lagging on the blogging in the future.... which will probably be next week.

And for the record, yes I know the ninjas on my Google Reader page are horrendous and the page layout is pretty blah, but it is a fairly new service and I'm sure Google will improve on it in a very short time.

And yes, the President's book is upside down in that picture.

Gorgeous Weather = Reggae

There are certain types of music that only works with certain types of weather. For example, if I was sitting on a beach and it was all sunny, the last thing I would want to hear is Burial. Or if I was alive and breathing and the earth wasn't being sucked into a blackhole, I'm pretty sure there's no way I could listen to Soulja Boy. In fact, even if the earth was being sucked into a black hole, I wouldn't listen to that guy.

But if there is one absolute in music, it is that warm sunny weather and reggae go hand in hand. It's just true. Don't try to argue with me, because it is an empirical fact. And considering it is a gorgeous Friday afternoon (71 degrees and sunny) I feel compelled to post up a reggae tune.

Now I've always been a fan of Alicia Keys' voice, but not always of the beats she gets backing her. Like nearly every other review I've found online, her song "No One" may suffer the most from the "god what an awful beat" phenomenon. Thankfully though, people realized that lyrically and melodically, "No One" is made to be a reggae song.

In fact, it was so obvious that this should have been a reggae song that there are a ton of reggae versions floating around out there, including an official reggae remix featuring Damien Marley that Keys' own blog posted up. But skip right past that my friends.

The version that you want features Junior Reid and if it doesn't make you want go outside and enjoy nice sunny weather, then turn in your ears.

Alicia Keys - No One (Reggae Remix featuring Junior Reid)